Topics of current studies include: 1) chemical structure of polysaccharide from AD serotype of Cryptococcus neoformans, 2) developing a new method for the formation and regeneration of protoplast in C. neoformans, and 3) developing a new medium for the separation of C. neoformans and C. neoformans var. gattii. Chemical study showed that the capsular polysaccharide from serotype AD isolates of C. neoformans contains two major polysaccharides. Structural characterization is under progress. Protoplast study revealed that unlike other yeasts, gluselase is ineffective in digesting the cell wall of C. neoformans. However, Mutanase was found to be effective in preparing the protoplasts. Over 90% of C. neoformans cells became protoplast within 15 minutes exposure to the enzyme. At least 60% of the protoplasts regenerated when a new regeneration medium was used. The DNA obtained from the protoplasts was much less fragmented compared to the protoplasts obtained by other methods. Agar medium containing glycine, canavanine and bromthymol blue permitted the separation of C. neoformans var. gatti from C. neoformans within 5 days.